The creation of 7,800 new apprenticeships has been agreed between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Labour group in the negotiation over the 2009-2010 budget. Highlands MSP and former Education Minister, Peter Peacock, estimates that around 700 of these should be coming to the Highlands and Islands.

Breaking this down by proportional share, Mr Peacock calculates the following regional allocation that should emerge:

• Highlands – 337
• Moray – 141 
• Argyll and the Islands – 112 
• Western Isles – 42 
• Shetland – 35 
• Orkney – 35

The scheme is designed to develop and extend the skills of young people in preparation for the economic upturn that will eventually present itself.

Mr Peacock says: ‘There has been a drop in the number of apprenticeships in Scotland and Labour felt it was vital that this budget reflected the need for skilled jobs for our young people during this economic downturn which will help stimulate our local economy and prepare for the upturn in the economy’.

The Labour deal is designed to guarantee new opportunities for appreticeships and to protect existing apprentices from the effects of redundancy.  From now on if apprentices are laid off they will be guaranteed an alternative so they can qualify.  This will create a necessary security for apprentices who can now be confident that if they start an apprenticeship they will be able to finish it.

There is as yet no information on how the scheme will be managed, where and in what trades the appreticeships will be placed and when or if the type of proportional sharout Mr Peacock envisages will take place.

The support for apprenticeships is a good one and well placed at this time. It will create employment for people enterig a trade and the sheltered development of skills during the recession shold leave Scotland well placed to move energetically into the ecoomicupturn when it comes.

It will be critical to create the appreticeships in the industries and trades which will found Scotland’s future. A key target here must be renewable energy generation and the various construction and control system development skills associated with all its forms.